I found this picture in Psychology magazine at Barnes and Noble one day. It was taken by a girl who struggled with an eating disorder during the teen years of her life. Now she embarks on visual metaphors via photography to let others now of her plight.

I found this picture stunning because of the gradual shrinking that is depicted. It captures the idea of never being satisfied with our body image. It’s impossible to hold a magazine shape all your life (or ever with all the airbrushing and photo-shopping that occurs), but it’s a powerful place to be where you can be content with your our figure.

The phrase comfortable in your own skin comes to mind. I don’t know if I’ve been there much, at least a complete comfort. Some of it has to do with my abuse of food and struggle not to be emotionally addicted to food (for comfort or whatever).

The struggle often rages in me, but the beauty is that God affirms my heart. That He is more satisfying than food. That He is more a comfort than calories. And resting in him means I don’t have to wrestle with the bigger me (ha ha).

I am, more and more each day, becoming a disciplined man physically. However that takes shape, I need to be content.

I agree with much of what people have said already. I think I was struck by how the girl must really feel. The “correct” her image so much that she has to feel not enough. I wonder how much we do that to inwardly; correcting ourselves because we don’t feel like we are truly enough.

And at what point to do we just say, we are wonderfully and uniquely made (kinda Psalm 139 ish). God is the one who gives us our identity/beauty. That should be reassuring. That is something we will be talking about this coming Sunday in Catalyst too (at least one of the themes).

Sad that this stuff happens to me…

let’s see…
the green and the black contrast. something inside relates to the contrast
and the perfection in the alignment of the keys- in specific the letter stamping things… and the fresh blank paper. it makes me feel anticipation of stories to be written and the excitement that comes from what get’s inked onto the paper. I find myself intimidated by the keys and the black, the perfection. It’s like i’d prefer to leave the paper blank even though I have a deep longing to write or experience the adventure…
on a spiritual level this photo reminds me of new beginnings. A fresh piece of paper, an uncluttered, simple space.

My brother, Dad and I have begun discussions of up to a 600 mile ride next July from Seaside, OR to Leggett, CA. I’ll be working on my training in the meantime…